"What? Why?!"
Alex was chewing on her food when Daniel St. Claire asked him the ridiculous question. She was glad she didn't choke on her food.
"I wanna marry you but I don't wanna marry you."
Alex looked confused. "What's so wrong with you? Are you on meds?" she asked unnicely.
Daniel glared at her. "I'm a geek, Alexandra not a mental patient."
He answered back. He opened a bottle of chewing gum that was tucked from his pants and chewed some gums. He offered her and she took two tabs.
"Is that the reason why you just became our company's new CEO so you can play around with new employees like me to do your bidding as you wish?"
She asked tersely. She snapped at him finally.
"Are you crazy? Why would I marry you? I don't even love you.",
"Your company's finances were close to bankruptcy and I decided to buy it because I don't want to see talents like you go. I've always loved the writers and book designers of Juggle House. My gramps used to be one of its copywriters and author when he was still alive."
"Oh—okay. Now, I get why you became our CEO. You must love books much having decided to head our place. Thanks for saving the company."
"No problem. I value talents and books, yes. I told you that I liked your illustrations right?"
She nodded and looked at him briefly before continuing to munch her food.
"Can we talk about the illustration later?" Alex pleaded. "I'm still enjoying mom's Black Forest."
"Is that your favorite cake?"
She nodded slicing another helping.
"I just love this when mom makes this because it's so soft and chewy. It melts in my mouth and I don't think of anything else except the cake."
She excitedly forked another heap of the cake and put it in her mouth.
"By the way, why are you even asking me to marry you when you don't even wanna do it?"
"Actually, I wanna do it."
"What?"
"Get married?"
"Yeah?"
"But, obviously not to me. Because we hardly know each other."
He just nodded.
"Okay. Wait. You're making my mind run in circles here, St. Clair. You want to marry me but you don't really want to marry me."
Then she looked at him hard scrutinizing.
"I've never met such an eccentric guy like you. If I consent to this, will you tell me who's the woman involved?"
"Do you like to figure a mystery, Alexandra? It can be fun."
Alexandra smirked at him.
"Geez. I never knew you were such a mysterious guy to find out about. Boss, has a cat got your tongue from confessing to the woman you love?"
She smiled smugly. "Did she reject you?"
Daniel just suddenly clammed up. Tight. The muscles on his cheeks tensed. He looked away.
Alexandra was kind of alarmed so she didn't tease any further.
"Okay. I won't persist if you insist." She said with raised hands. "Hey, did mom made any salads?"
She asked changing the subject.
"In the fridge." Came Daniel's short reply.
She rose from the chair and went to the fridge. Before opening its door she asked, "Is it cheese and potatoes?"
He looked at her.
"Haven't checked. I haven't opened it yet."
She took a big cellophane-covered bowl and put it on the table.
"You want some?" she asked while scooping for her plate.
Daniel shook his head.
"I'm full. Thanks."
"Okay."
Alex went back to her seat and resume eating.
After being quiet for almost a minute, he looked back at her.
"But will you do me the favor? Will you be my bride?" He asked with a persistent tone.
He flexed both of his elbows on the table and supported his head with his hands looking intently at her with his soft blue eyes.
Alexandra looked back at him, moved her head to either side with her right eye closed, chewing and her right fork raised. She still wanted to further tease the guy.
"Oh, come on, Alex. Help me on this as a friend in need. I'll owe you for life."
"You can give me a promotion." She joked.
"Done."
Alex smiled with an evil grin.
"Okay."
She put down her fork and raised her right hand towards him.
"I'll accept it. I'll pose as your bride."
He briefly looked at her hand before shaking it quickly, then returned his attention to his laptop.
"Thanks. For accepting my proposal."
He slid a yellow envelope to her side.
She briefly looked at it and asked, "What's this?"
"It's the papers about this house. I told you I bought this house, right? But, you and you're mom still get to own it fifty percent. We'll just do renovations on this house to change it into a lodging inn."
"Would you not have bought this if mom didn't open up about changing this into an inn?" Alex asked curiously.
"Probably. I renovate abandoned houses on the sideline which is during my free time or when I feel like doing it. Kind of change it into game hub lodge inns where cosplayers and gamers visit for their monthly get-together. When they're not around, the place operates as a normal inn."
"How many game hubs have you already got so far?"
"I've got ten."
"Wow! That's a lot."
He briefly looked at her.
"Have you never attended game sites before?" He asked briefly.
"I'm not really a gamer to care about such things. But I do play CandyCrush."
"Wanna come sometime so you can see how it goes? It'd be fun."
"Hmmm…I'll think about it."
"I'll let you know when a gathering happens. I have a game hub in the next city."
"That's cool. We'll go when you have one."
"It would be really fun. You will enjoy it, I promise. The gamers and anime enthusiasts wear their character design and there's always the party all night long."
"Do you design games, Daniel?"
"I create the concept and I have a team that designs them."
"Uh-okay. The illustrations that you'd like me to do, are they for your next game concept?"
"Glad you asked about it. Yes, Alex. I really like the style and fluidity of your illustrations. They would be eye-catching for kids who'd like to play my games. "
"Hmm…that would be nice. I make more illustrations for kids than for teenagers. But it still depends on the book concept of the author."
"It's my first time to dip myself in the kid-level area. I'm more familiar with the teenage stuff and adult games in which I design the concept. But I have this niece named Kleia who is now five years old. She is my older brother's daughter and lately, she's trying to figure out games and saw my games. Of course, she's having difficulty playing it but persisted. She said, 'Make me a game, Uncle Dan. One that is easy to play while looking at me with her adorable eyes and I couldn't resist, Alex."
Alex smiled.
"You're cute. Aren't you a doting uncle?"
"Don't tease me. Who wouldn't be when you get a playful niece who'd love to play more and eat more chocolates and cupcakes?"
"I'll be happy to help you out on this project, then."
"Thanks. Don't you have a nephew or a niece of your own?"
"Haven't asked mom and dad about it?" she asked pointedly.
"Well, your mom mentioned you have a big sister called Ava. Is she not yet married?"
"She's more in love with her job than seek a love life. She works in Real Estate."
"We can see her soon. Let's hold an engagement party."